Choosing Cliques
by Alice-in-french
Summary: “Way to go, Chad.” Troy said sarcastically, roughly throwing the ball at him. Ryan was kind of cool.”


Hello. Here's another attempt at a HSM fic. My others didn't work out so I had to delete them, sorry! But I'm pretty sure this one will stay. Unfortunately, though, it might not get updated until Christmas Break(which is about two weeks away) because I'll be so busy with the Christmas Play I'm in at church, Y-Teens, school newspaper, and basketball. But I will try and write it when I have free time at school and type it up Sunday afternoon. Maybe, I'm not making any promises. LoL.

Disclaimer: sigh No, I don't own HSM. I am trying to find a way to be cast in the next movie, though.

FOR THIS CHAPTER ONLY:

Summary: Sharpay Evans and Troy Bolton are two totally different people. Even in third grade! And with a demanding sister on his tail, and a kind fun loving basketball jock, on the playground, how will Ryan decide where he belongs?

Rating: K

**Through The Years  
Third Grade, Pt. 1  
**

"Let's go, Ryan!" eight-year-old Sharpay Evans practically yelled at her brother.

"But, Sharpay, I wanna play on the playground with Troy!" Ryan whined. School had just let out, and he usually had an hour to play on the playground before his mom came to pick him and his twin sister, Sharpay, up from school.

"Ryan Samuel Evans! You are coming to the theatre with me!" Sharpay demanded. Auditions for the school musical were coming up, and since Sharpay was finally a third grader, she could try out for a lead role. Lead roles were really hard to get when you were only eight, and the music teacher had promised to practice with Sharpay after school today. "I want to be in the school play this year with the starring part, and you are starring with me!"

"I don't want to be in the play with you, though!" Ryan said, stamping his foot. Well, maybe he did want to be in the play, but right he now he cared more about playing with Troy and his friends.

"Yes, you do!" Sharpay replied, adamant. With that, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him from the playground into the auditorium. She stomped down the aisle; her blonde curls bobbing every which way. Ryan grudgingly came in after her, dragging his feet, his shoulders hunched over. He sat his backpack down next to his sister's. Sharpay was already strutting onto the stage, calling for the music teacher.

"Miss Ber-ry!" she yelled, dragging out the name dramatically.

"Hello, Sharpay, Hello, Ryan."

"Hi." Ryan said gloomily, walking up the steps to the stage.

"Alrighty then, do you have a song prepared to sing? If so, we'll work on that today. If not, I have one you can learn."

"We have one! It's from 'Annie'!" Sharpay replied, showing Miss Berry the music.

"'I Don't Need Anything But You'. That's a great song!" She took the music from Sharpay and sat down at the piano.

"Ryan!" Sharpay snapped. Ryan quickly walked to center stage, while Sharpay went upstage left. "1-2-3-" she pointed at Miss Berry to start playing.

**Both:**  
_Together at last  
Together forever  
We're tying a knot,  
They never can sever_

**Ryan:**

_I don't need sunshine now  
To turn my skies to blue_

**Both:**

_I don't need anything but you!_

**Sharpay:**

_Yesterday was plain awful!_

**Ryan:**

_You can say that again_

**Sharpay:**

_Yesterday was plain awful!_

**Ryan:**

_But that's_

**Sharpay:**

_Not now_

**Both:**

_That's then_

**Sharpay:**

_I'm poor as a mouse_

**Ryan:**

_I'm richer than Midas!_

**Both:**

_But nothing on earth,  
could ever divide us  
And if tomorrow I'm apple-seller too,  
I don't need anything, anything, anything!  
I don't need anything but you!_

"Beautiful! Bravo!" Miss Berry clapped. "I don't think even some of the fifth-graders could do better! Now, the only thing I really want to work on is you volume. Sharpay, you have a beautiful voice – but your volume is a little over the top."

Sharpay gaped at her and flipped her hair. No one, said Sharpay was 'over the top'.

"And Ryan, you're a bit to quiet. Your enthusiasm is great! Fantastic, but you don't quite sing out enough."

Sharpay smirked.

"Now, Sharpay, let's work on singing a bit quieter. Come on over here with me."

Ryan was bored. He desperately wanted to be outside with Troy, Chad, Zeke, and Jason playing basketball on the playground. He couldn't understand why his sister would rather be in a stuffy theatre instead of outside playing. Ryan looked at the clock on the wall. 3:00, half an hour until his mother usually arrived. Maybe if he snuck out now, he could play basketball with the guys some. He studied Sharpay. She was at the piano with Miss Berry, working on some song from 'Annie'. If he left now, maybe he could make it out without Sharpay noticing. He looked back at Sharpay, she was working on a particularly high note – it was now or never. He walked quickly to the edge of the stage and silently hopped down. He grabbed his backpack and lunchbox and made a dash for the Theatre Door that led to the hallway, which in turn led to the playground. Once out of the theatre, instead of slowing down, he kept running to the playground. Stopping at the gate to discard his baggage, he scanned the playground for the guys. Predictably, he saw them at the basketball court and ran over to them.

"Hi, Guys!" He greeted as he reached the court.

"Hey, Ryan!" Troy responded. "Wanna play?"

"Sure!" He replied.

"That's a funny hat." Chad said with a laugh, pointing at Ryan's light-purple fedora.

"I dunno, I think it's pretty cool." Troy offered, seeing Ryan's downcast look at the comment.

"Thanks." Ryan muttered.

"C'mon! Let's play!" Zeke said, taking the basketball from Jason. He dribbled down the court and shot the ball, making a perfect shot. Ryan stared at the basketball net, then at Zeke, then at the net, and then back at Zeke. Zeke then passed the ball to Jason. Jason raised his arms, poised to shoot; seconds later the ball was soaring through the air. It hit the rim and looked like it would go in, but at the last second it fell the other way. Chad quickly got the rebound, and made his shot. Again, he got the rebound, but this time he passed it to Troy. Troy dribbled to the foul line and shot the ball, which made it through the bet with a resounding _swish_.

"You're turn, Ryan." Troy said, passing the ball to Ryan.

"Oh, OK." He said hesitantly. His elbows bent, Ryan blindly thrust the ball in the direction he thought was the goal post. When he opened his eyes, he saw Troy running back from the slides, ball in hand. Chad, Zeke, and Jason were either leaning against the post, or on the asphalt, laughing.

"It was a good try, Ryan." Troy consoled.

"No it wasn't. I guess I should stick to Theatre like Sharpay said." Ryan said with a defeated shrug.

"You know, you don't have to do everything Sharpay tells you to."

"I don't!" Ryan protested, "I like performing!"

"You _like_ doing those things?" Chad asked incredulously.

"Yah! I do. And if you have a problem with that, I don't want to be your friends anymore!" Ryan yelled, running off back to Theatre.

"Way to go, Chad." Troy said sarcastically, roughly throwing the ball at him. "Ryan was kind of cool."

Just to let you know, this will not be Ryan-centered. I just need 'Third Grade' to show how they came into their two groups.

Before I forget, HUGE PROPS to **hotsodagirl **and her story 'Swing' for giving me the inspiration for this story. Next chapter will be up ASAP!!

Bop to the Top,  
Arawen


End file.
